Licensing & brand collaborations in Dubai
We build licensing projects and brand collaborations from the first idea to the launch: the partner or IP that fits, a concept both brands can carry, the terms, the story and the release. On MONOCHROME × REEBOK the first drop sold out in 24 hours.
- 24 h Time for the first limited-edition drop to sell out MONOCHROME × REEBOK
- 700 Pieces in a limited Basquiat collection, shown in Paris, Milan and Singapore TUD × JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT
- $26,000 Auction price of a piece from an officially licensed Michael Jackson drop TUD TOY
- 4 cities B2B collector fairs prepared for the collab: Paris, Milan, Singapore, Seoul TUD × Chupa Chups
Our licensing and collaboration work in Dubai and the UAE
Licensing connects brands, creators and intellectual property with new markets and audiences. It works in two directions. IP owners use it to enter categories they do not make themselves. Independent brands use it to put a global name or icon next to their own and strengthen their reputation through that association. Both sides need the same thing: a partnership that feels natural to each audience, not a famous logo placed on a new product.
A common mistake is to treat a licence as a simple product extension. We start from the concept instead: what the two brands mean together and why their audiences should care. On TUD × Chupa Chups we built the story around "Nostalgia reimagined through collectible artistry". Chupa Chups carries a logo designed by Salvador Dalí, and our communication framed the drop as a cultural collectible, not a branded figurine. The same idea then drove the visual language, messaging, press materials and influencer communication.
We can take on the talks, the launch or both. On MONOCHROME × SMASHBOX we led the negotiations and aligned both brands on everything from creative direction to marketing rights and usage. On MONOCHROME × REEBOK we ran the launch narrative, PR and influencer seeding, and sales beat expectations without heavy paid promotion. Eugenia Kinder, one of our two founders, has 15+ years of international experience in fashion, beauty and lifestyle, and works across global partnerships and licensing. She has worked with brands and cultural institutions including Pantone, Coca-Cola and Reebok.
What it covers
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Partner fit and collaboration concept
We look at where a licence or collaboration can add value to your brand, then find the partner or IP whose audience, reputation and values fit. The result is one clear idea both brands can carry. For MONOCHROME and Smashbox it was "Minimalism meets camera-ready performance".
- Reviewing your positioning and where a licence or collaboration adds value
- Finding partners or IP that fit on audience, reputation and values
- Choosing the category and product angle for the first drop
- Building the core idea the whole collaboration hangs on
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Negotiation and partnership terms
Two brands with different habits have to agree on one product and one launch. We run those talks, keep each side's identity intact and settle what gets made, how it is presented, when it launches and who can use what.
- Leading the talks between the two brands, from first proposal to agreement
- Getting both brands to agree on which products go into the drop
- Settling the launch angle both sides will stand behind
- Fixing who delivers what, and by when
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Collaboration narrative and creative
A licence needs a story that makes sense to both audiences. We write the narrative and messaging, set the visual world and prepare the materials the launch runs on, from press language to scripts for the influencers who present the product.
- Writing the storyline and messaging that connect both brands' worlds
- Setting the visual world: photography, textures, light and colour
- Keeping press, campaign and influencer messaging on the same idea
- Briefing the creators who will present the product
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Launch: PR, influencers and content
We plan the release so demand builds before the product is out: teasers, early-access previews, seeding with the right creators and PR that tells the story behind the drop. Where the launch needs a physical moment, we run it, as we did for TUD TOY's gallery opening in Dubai.
- Building demand before release with teasers, material close-ups and fitting footage
- Seeding the product with stylists and niche creators through early-access previews
- Telling the story behind the concept, the process and both brands' identities in PR
- Running the release around scarcity and first access
How it runs
- Step 01
Goal and fit
What the licence should open, a category, market or audience, and which partners or IP fit.
- Step 02
Concept and deal
A collaboration idea, then talks until product, launch angle and marketing rights are set.
- Step 03
Story and assets
The story behind the collaboration, carried through visuals, messaging, press and creators.
- Step 04
Launch
Pre-launch, creator seeding, PR and release, then the relationship and the next collaboration.
Where it has run
Fashion, retail & licensing
MONOCHROME × REEBOK
Fashion drop with Reebok that sold out in 24 hours
Fashion, retail & licensing
TUD × Chupa Chups
A collectible art drop with Chupa Chups
Beauty & wellness
MONOCHROME × SMASHBOX
Fashion and beauty cross-category drop with Smashbox
When to call
You want a global brand or icon next to yours
Association with a legacy name can raise an independent brand's standing. MONOCHROME needed its Reebok drop to cut through against global labels and to take its audience beyond its domestic market.
Your brand or IP could work in a new category
Licensing lets a known name sell in a category it has never made products for. Through TUD, Chupa Chups entered art and collectibles in a premium, contemporary form. We worked on TUD's side of that drop.
Both brands like the idea but not the terms yet
Two brands can agree on the idea and still stall on product, rights and timing. We lead the talks and keep both sides aligned until every point is settled, as we did for MONOCHROME and Smashbox.
Your collaboration looks like a logo on a product
The product exists and both logos are on it, but nothing explains why the two brands belong together. We build the concept and the story around that reason, so the drop reads as a cultural moment rather than merchandise.
What you get
- Partner or IP shortlist with the reason each one fits
- One-line collaboration concept both brands sign off on
- Agreed points on product, launch angles, rights and usage, deliverables and timelines
- Press releases, press language and drop announcement content
- Influencer kits, communication scripts and creative guidelines
- Art direction for product shots and campaign visuals
- Teaser sequence and countdown plan before the drop
- First-access announcements and community notifications at launch
- Launch event at a gallery or venue, where the drop needs one
- Content suite: product editorials, making-of footage and limited-edition spotlights
Questions about Licensing
If the answer you need is not here, it is a two-line email away: info@encore-mena.com.
How does an agency run a licensing collaboration in Dubai?
We shape the concept, lead the negotiation between the brands and launch the drop through PR, influencers and content. On TUD × Chupa Chups we guided the concept, the storytelling and the communication platform. On MONOCHROME × SMASHBOX we also led the negotiations between the two brands.
Can a smaller brand collaborate with a global brand or licensed IP?
Yes. MONOCHROME, an independent fashion label, released drops with Reebok and Smashbox, and TUD TOY, a collectible art brand, released a licensed collaboration with Chupa Chups. TUD TOY also opened its Dubai gallery around an officially licensed Michael Jackson collection. The work is to keep the smaller brand's identity central, so the partnership raises its standing rather than hiding it.
Do you negotiate the collaboration terms between the two brands?
Yes. On MONOCHROME × SMASHBOX we led and facilitated the full negotiation and partnership process. Both brands aligned on creative direction, product selection, shared values, launch angles, marketing rights and usage, deliverables and timelines. Our job was to turn the idea into clear, mutually beneficial agreements that protect the visual identity and strategic interests of each brand.
Why do some licensing collaborations fail to get attention?
A common reason is that they are treated as simple product extensions: a known logo on a new item, with no reason for either audience to care. Successful partnerships need a clear concept, aligned brand values and storytelling that connects both audiences. On MONOCHROME × REEBOK we positioned the drop as a cultural collaboration shaped by identity rather than logos.
Which markets do you cover for licensing and collaboration projects?
We are based in Dubai and work with brands entering or scaling across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and the wider MENA region. The licensing section of our brief also lets you pick Europe, the US or a global launch as the target. Our co-founder Eugenia Kinder has worked on partnerships, licensing and PR campaigns across Europe, the US and the Middle East.
Often run alongside
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Partnership & Collaboration
Partners whose audience already trusts them: brands, media, venues and cultural institutions. We agree the terms and run the joint launch.
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Influence Marketing
Creators chosen for trust and audience fit, then briefed, seeded and tracked to views, clicks and cost across the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
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PR & Media
Key messages, press materials, media outreach and social channels on one plan.
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